Wicked Love
by VerbalAtrocity
Summary: Everyone knows of the three Black girls, and everyone knows not to speak of the forth one. but what happens when a prophecy is made about the four Black sisters?
1. Chapter 1

New A/n- Hello everyone again! So I've slightly redone the first chapter, a lot more details and just alot better in my opinion. When I first wrote this I was 17/18. It's been three years and personally I think I've learned to write quite a bit better so i decided to show that. I really hope you guys like it. xoxoxo

Oh yea still don't own it.

WICKED LOVE

Prologue

Everyone knows of the prophecy Sybil Trelawney once made about and young boy and Tom Riddle. Albus Dumbledore and Severus Snape were the only witnesses to this, and believed it to be the only prophecy she ever had. Dumbledore gave her a job at his school, effectively locking her away from Voldemort and his Death Eaters. She never spoke of another prophecy she gave, years ago before the legendary Harry Potter. This prophecy was about four girls. Apart they would be very formidable, but together they would be unstoppable. The only ones to hear about this were Druella and Cygnus Black…and Voldemort.

Everyone in the Wizarding and Muggle community alike knew of the Blacks. Their four beautiful daughters would haunt you some say. Other would say how one look from Druella Black would cause you to never sleep again.

It was hard to pin point what was true and what wasn't with this family. What everyone did know about though, was the tragedy that surrounded the family in the early 60's. It was covered in wizard and muggle papers alike. Six year old daughter to prominent family murdered in the middle of the night. The case was never solved.

It was a tragedy that was never spoken about. For everyone also knew, if you mentioned little Arianna in front of a Black…it was the last thing you did.

…..

Chapter one.

July 13th 1963

"Arianna! If you don't give me back my wand RIGHT NOW I'm going to tell father!" Bellatrix had been chasing her little sister all over the house for close to half an hour, and nowhere close to getting her wand back. She had finally corned her in the dining room, there was nowhere for the little runt to run now.

"But Bella, I just want to try to spell! Just one I swear it. Don't you want me to be able to protect myself when I go to school?" The little girl started pouting, she knew she was very good at getting her way when she did this, but unfortunately her oldest sister was not swayed this time. "Please don't tell father, you know how angry he got last time he caught me trying to do magic!" Pleading was a last resort but it had to be done to avoid the wrath of their father.

"Of course he gets angry you little twit! You're only six; you have no right to be even holding a wand yet. You're a smart little girl, but still, only a child. You still have five more years to read about all the spells you want until you go to Hogwarts. But I must do my transfiguration homework or I won't pass. Don't you think father will be angry with me if I do not pass my lessons?" Bella started to think she was getting to the girl, but she still had not handed over the wand.

"Okay how about this, I will teach you an Entrail-Expelling curse tonight, but ONLY if you give it back right now." Bella decided to bargain with the precocious child, and thankfully it worked.

She was just about to hand over the wand when she snatched it back quickly. "Will you really?" She said with a drawl of suspicion. "You know both our parents will be mad if you teach me that one." Arianna said with a little smirk.

"Well, don't tell him I taught you that, and I won't tell him you stole my wand and tried to burn the house down with it." Bella said as she snatched the wand out of her tiny hand while she was off guard.

Tears automatically sprung up in the young girls eyes. The way it does with most young children when they get a favorite toy taken away. "You wouldn't dare tell him that! You know it's not true!"

Bella, quickly realizing her mistakes in making her cry, ran over and held her little sister close. She hated making any of her sisters cry. She loathed it when someone else did and would personally track down and hex them to oblivion. "Oh it'll be alright, you know I won't say anything to father. Just don't go stealing my want without my permission again, understand? I must go do my homework now, why don't you find Andy and play a game." Seeing as everything seemed all better Bella patted the girl on the head and sent her to play with Andromeda.

Andy had just finished her first year of school and didn't have near as much homework as Bellatrix, who was about to become a fourth year. As Bella wondered up to her room, she really wondered how she was going to get away with teaching her such a dangerous spell. 'Well at least she will be able to protect herself well.' She thought with a chuckle.

Not many people were even aware the Entrail-Expelling curse was still around. They had banned it most places and definitely did not teach it anywhere. One of the gifts of being a Black however, was the immense library the house was home to. Books thousands of years old were on those shelves; some containing only the darkest and most disturbing pieces of magic.

Later in the evening….

Arianna entered her room after dinner, only to find her sister Narcissa sitting casually on her bed reading a book. "Cissa, not that I mind you in my room, but couldn't you read in your own room? I'm supposed to be playing with Bella tonight." Arianna was quickly trying to get her out of the room, already at the bed pulling at Narcissa's dress. She did not want Bella to come in here and decide she wasn't old enough to learn the spell because she couldn't keep a secret. She could! She hadn't told anyone all day about it, even though she was practically jumping off the walls with excitement. Learning new things had always made Arianna a little hyperactive.

"You're 'playing' with Bella?" Cissa said in the drawl that Andy said she only uses so she sounds more important like mother. "And here I thought Bella was too old be 'playing' with us lowly children now that she was in school. Playing with Bella, wouldn't be code for learning new spells from Bella…would it dear little sister?" She was baiting her, and fortunately for Narcissa, the tiny girl was still too young to understand when she was being messed with sometimes.

"Oh no! How did you find out! Bella will never forgive me! I promised I wouldn't tell, please don't- wait…what is that you're reading?" Arianna asked, looking for the first time at the name on the cover.

"Oh just a little book Bella happened to give me, all about spells and such. She had helpfully marked one page, the Entrail-Expelling curse. I think she might have also said something about just dropping it off in your room, but I just couldn't resist." Narcissa smiled at that. She was a curious girl, and had to know absolutely everything that was going on at all times.

"Now why would you ever need to learn this spell? I'm only nine and I won't have any real use for it for a couple more years." Cissa really was curious what had possessed their oldest sister this time. "I want to be able to beat up all the Gryffindors when I go to Hogwarts. None of them will have learned it yet and no one will be able to pick on me." Arianna sounded like she actually thought she would get picked on. She really didn't realize their position in this world sometimes.

"Well, while I'm happy you want to be able to defend yourself, this curse will cause you to get into extreme trouble." Narcissa had an incredible lecture voice for a nine year old.

"How would you know, you don't even go to Hogwarts yet. And anyway I won't get in trouble because I won't get caught, I'm smarter than that." She said with a bright smirk and grabbed the book out of her sister's hand. She needed to read at least some of it before Bella came to get her.

"You are a true Slytherin, aren't you? Well let's just hope that's the house you get into once you finally go to school. Could you imagine either of us being in Hufflepuff? Or worse, Gryffindor!" Narcissa said with a shriek.

At that moment Bella and Andy both walked in with matching mischievous looks. "I thought since I would be corrupting my smallest sister tonight, might as well make it all three." Bellatrix said with a smile.

Bella spent the next two hours passing her wand around, teaching each girl the spell. They had started out using pillows and mattresses. But once Bella was confident that they wouldn't do any lasting damage she called in one of the house elves. It took some time, but even Arianna got the curse down perfectly. Bellatrix really hoped her parents wouldn't notice they were missing a house elf later.

Just as they were all cleaning up for bed, Arianna got the strangest feeling. She couldn't explain it, she just knew she did not want to be sleep alone. She was only six after all and six year olds were still allowed to be scared of the dark every now and again.

"Bella, do you think you could read me a bed time story tonight?" At those words all three of her youngest sisters perked up. Bella happened to be very good at telling bed time stories. Now normally after such an active day she would have refused and made all three little girls go to bed on their own. But she also had a feeling in the pit of her stomach. Something she didn't like.

"Oh alright, don't have to beg me. Everyone pile up on Ari's bed. We should all sleep in here tonight." Bella decided on the spot. It felt like a good idea. When they were all together nothing could ever hurt them. With that they all climbed in and piled around Bella waiting to hear another fantastic story about a great witch who ended up conquering the world.

Meanwhile in a tavern in central London….

Druella and Cygnus Black were attending a dinner with some close friends and colleagues. Those in attendance include Abraxus and Carmella Malfoy, who the Blacks had been friends with for generations. The Avery's, Goyle's, and Lord Voldemort were attending with them, though they wouldn't be considered friends or even colleagues. Especially Voldemort; he had been the one to call this meeting, what for was anyone's guess.

The Blacks weren't Death Eaters per se, but they supported his cause against muggles full heartily.

The Tavern they had picked was right outside the muggle entrance to Diagon Alley and quite empty, which served their purposes perfectly. None of them had noticed the small women with bug eyes in the back room muttering to herself.

None of them could have guessed that Voldemort was already becoming exceedingly paranoid and had begun to doubt the loyalty of some of his followers. He had called this little gathering as a test. Yes his main cause was to rid this world of all the rubbish. But it seemed some of his followers still questioned him. He already noticed five people he had summoned here and did not show up. They were going to pay for that later. He had other things to deal with. The Blacks were an extremely important and influential family. And to think that they were not behind him one hundred percent…well that would become a problem. Yes they were going to rid the world of muggles and half-bloods alike. But Government was also his plan. He knew he needed their backing if he were to become Minister of Magic one day, like he knew he would.

He had just explained to them all about the new spell he had made; a tattoo of sorts that would show their support. He decided that was all they needed to know about that particular spell at the moment though and stood up.

"Cygnus, would you and your wife please join me in the back room. We have much to discuss about the future." Without another word he turned and started walking. He knew they would follow.

While following him into one of the private rooms, Druella tripped and almost fell against the small crouched down woman with bug eyes. She had to be one of the strangest women she had ever seen, with shawls and wraps covering so much of her all that was visible was her unusually large head bent down. The women had kept rocking back and forth almost ritualistically until the second Druella came into contact with her. At that moment her head snapped up and they all saw her large eyes and strange pendants hanging all around her.

"**The earth will shake. The heavens will weep. The sky will fall. We will Burn! The snake will be sacrificed. Lighting will is only a distraction until the end. Four! Four! Four! They are the oldest. The darkest blood. No one shall stand in their way**!" The women had begun to scream at the end.

A blood curdling cry that rang throughout the entire tavern. She started repeating herself then. "**The earth will shake! The heav-**"

"Stupefy!" Cygnus yelled while pointing his wand at this obviously insane woman. Druella was turning a multitude of colors ranging from green to red to purple. He couldn't tell exactly what she was thinking but whatever it was he hoped to Merlin she was blocking her thoughts.

"And why, my dear Cygnus, would your wife need to be blocking her thoughts? Hmm?" Voldemort had finally taken his eyes off the women crumpled to the floor and giving him a look that rivaled death itself. Cygnus hadn't had time to raise his own mental shields and immediately fell to the floor with Voldemort's attack in his brain. It felt like someone rifling through a filing cabinet. Except instead of looking through files, he was looking through his memories.

He did the best he could to think of anything else. His job, his wife, his child- no no not this children mustn't think of the children!

"Crucio!" Voldemort yelled pointing his wand at Cygnus. Druella had looked back by now to see if any of their friends would help them, but she only looked to find that everyone had abandoned the tavern. They were alone with him.

"Do NOT attempt to hide your thoughts from me you pathetic piece of filth. What are you hiding! Show me now or I will show you what real pain feels like." And Cygnus believed him. He had never felt anything like the Crucio spell before and did not want to feel it again.

Before he could even stop it, Voldemort was in his mind again, this time seeing everything. He saw the time when Bellatrix was a child and ran around the house lighting every candle she could find with her fingers and breath. They had made her put a stop to that right away of course. No one had ever had such ability before, but they had always just assumed it was her magic coming through early.

He tried to stop it there. That might have been easy enough to explain. But more images kept popping up in his head. Narcissa filling her bathtub with her mind. Andromeda causing a muggle boy who had been picking on her one day to fly three blocks away, killing him. They were done for and he knew it. No one could keep them safe now.

"You never thought it wise to tell me that your daughters possessed such talents. It never occurred to you that your Lord might benefit from such things?" He asked. "Is that it, just the three of them?" Druella and Cygnus both knew that Voldemort already knew the answer to that. Everyone knew that they had four daughters. But that wasn't what he was asking.

"N-no my lord. Our youngest, she hasn't done anything like that. Her only talent is her beauty and brain. She is smart for her age but nothing like the others I swear to you!" Druella had finally spoken up. She couldn't bear to see her husband suffer anymore, for having your brain savagely rifled through was not an easy experience. "Crucio! Was I asking you woman?" Voldemort suddenly sighed and turned away from them, walking to the far window letting the Black couple recover their strength.

After some silence he finally spoke again. "I'm sure you both realize by now that it was a prophecy we heard. Prophecies are inane things really, can never be fully trusted. They are always so vague. But what that woman said tonight…she said after contact with you Druella. Spoke of Four….of the elements. This is not something I can ignore. You both have betrayed me. And to betray your Lord is a grave offense. But I will give you one chance to prove your selves to me. One last chance and if you fail you die. Simple as that. Kill the beasts and I will forgive you." Voldemort said all of this without turning around.

If he had, he would have seen the confusion on Druella's face when he said 'beasts'. He would have seen the stricken look of horror that colored Cygnus's for he realized at once what he was referring to.

"You cannot be asking us what I fear you are my lord. It's our children! How could we possibly harm them! They won't ever be a threat to you if that is what your worried abou-"

"I am NOT threaten by a bunch of children you imbecile! I am Lord Voldemort and NO ONE OPPOSES ME!" He turned around then and saw Druella sobbing on the ground uncontrollably. Cygnus hadn't moved an inch, he was just staring back coldly. "You cannot expect to have followers if you ask us to sacrifice our children for you. Wouldn't they be put to better use in your cause once they are of age? They will help you! Fight for you!"

Voldemort seemed to be considering this. It wasn't a horrible idea after all. Guaranteed followers as the years pass. But there was still a risk…

"You shall kill one then, the youngest. Before her powers develop more than they already have. If she isn't dead by sunrise you all will be." And with that he was gone, leaving no more room for argument.

They both apperated home shortly after the incident, both sinking into chairs by the fireplace immediately.

By this time it was already nearing 3 am and there wasn't a sound in the house. They sat in silence for some time, contemplating the night's events.

How could they possibly hurt little Arianna? Druella stood up after sometime and walked to the mantle where pictures of all the girls stood.

Bellatrix with her long midnight locks, unique violet eyes. Andromeda, with her natural looks that would look hideous on anyone else, but made her look beautiful and unique in her own way somehow with her brown hair and chocolate brown eyes. Narcissa, her beautiful angel, with her gorgeous pale blonde hair, and sky blue eyes, it was obvious to anyone she would be the most beautiful witch when she was older. And finally, her dear, dear Arianna, she was the most unique of all, she had a mixture of all her sisters, who all looked so different from each other. She had a mixture of Bella's midnight hair with Narcissa's pale hair, a dark blonde that only accentuated her dark blue eyes, which had this beautiful touch of violet scattered within them. And a beautiful smile that matched Andromeda's. Those two could light up a room just by smiling.

"We cannot do this Cygnus. It's wrong. She's six years old! What kind of monster would kill a six years old. What kind of monster would ask parents to do that? What kind of threat could a six year old possibly be to him?" She was almost hysterical by this time.

"It's not what she is now…but what she will be when she is older, when they are all older. We are lucky he is sparing us three." Cygnus was about to go on but his wife was reaching the point of no return.

"LUCKY! How the bloody hell are we lucky? I will not do this." She stomped her foot as if it would change the world.

"Are you suggesting that you do not support him anymore? Support his cause?" Cygnus asked his wife suspiciously. "Of course I support the cause! But this isn't about that anymore. He is power hungry. He sensed something greater than him tonight. Greater than maybe anyone who ever lived. I support ridding the world of muggle-borns but I do not support his fight for power." Druella had started pacing the room pointing and throwing her arms around like a crazed monkey.

"Well what do you suggest we do then? Go side with Dumbledore?" He said with a sneer. "Of course not dear, nothing like that. I could never stand that old geezer. But I am going to protect all my children no matter what the cost. One day they will be powerful. Powerful enough to stop his power trip. Our children will go down in history and you want to destroy that? No. No we are going to do something else." Druella had by this time calmly sat down in front of her husband.

"She will never be safe here now. There is nothing we can do about that. As much as it will kill me to do so, we will give her away." Cygnus had started to look at her like she was insane. Maybe she was a little.

"Give her away? To whom exactly? What witch or wizard would possibly take in a child with a target on its back?" Now Cygnus had started pacing. It was all just too much. Trying to pull one over Voldemort's eyes was practically impossible.

"I know you're not going to like this. But I see the only choice we have is to give her to muggles. Think about it. It is the last place he would ever look for her. She will be safe. And when the time comes she'll be able to come back to us." Druella at this point looked very pleased with herself.

"And when exactly my dear would the 'right time' be? Ugh, woman I know you're right. It is why I married you." He said with a small smile. It was true. Their marriage might have been an arranged one, but they ended up being a very good pairing.

" So we will give her an aging potion. Turn her into a baby again. It's risky but it will provide even more protection. Change her looks; give her a glamour that will match the muggle parents. Keep her age as a baby or at least age very slowly until, like you said 'the time is right'."

"We will have to wipe all their memories. Bella will not take this lightly. How are we even going to explain to them why she is gone in the morning? And still even when she starts growing up, she'll start remembering things. We need to do something a bit more complex than that. Tie her memory to something or someone she won't be in contact with for a long time if ever." Druella truly was the brains of the family.

They talked for another hour, hashing out last minute details. They didn't have a lot of time but hopefully this would work. If it didn't…well best not to think about that.

Just before dawn both parents wondered up to Arianna room, only to find all four sisters piled up together. If only they had just slept in their own rooms for once this would have been easier.

They each slowly levitated each to their own beds and then went back and just looked and her one last time. Once they removed her they started on the glamour that would take her place. Druella had been hoping for something easy and peaceful. Make it look like she died in her sleep, maybe suffocated. But unfortunately when your family is so immersed in the dark arts, nothing comes peaceful and easy.

They image that lay before them now was so gruesome even Cygnus had trouble not to lose his stomach. No one should ever have to see their child that way, even if it wasn't real.

A couple hours later….

Bellatrix was the first to wake up. She stared at her ceiling for a minute trying to figure out why she felt so wrong. Hadn't she fallen asleep in Ari's room? Yes, they all had.

She was just thinking through the scenarios of what maybe happened when Narcissa ran into the room first.

"Why was I in my bed? Why are you in your bed? Why do I feel like I'm going to be sick?" Narcissa for once wasn't trying to act ten years older than she was and actually sounded like the little nine year old she was.

Before Bella could get up to calm her down, Andromeda walked in as well asking the same things Cissa had. She didn't like this one bit. Where was Arianna? She should have awoken to Narcissa's frantic shrieks at least. The bad feeling in her stomach was back and with a vengeance.

"Okay, you both stay right here on my bed. I'm going to go wake Ari up and we will all figure out what's going on." Bella had started to walk out of the door, but just as she predicted both girls were right behind her, never listening to a word she said besides 'get Ari'.

The sight the three sisters saw when they walked into her room was horrific. Scaring each girl so permanently it would change their lives forever. Their screams would haunt their parents for the rest of their lives.

Meanwhile in Surrey….

The same morning in an almost completely different world a woman woke up, and instead of her normal routine that she'd had the past 6 months of making her husband coffee and breakfast and watching the news until work, she walked to the nursery that was now attached to their home, to check on her beautiful newborn girl.

As her husband woke up himself he came in with a bright smile on his face when he saw them both.

"Good morning darling and how is my little princess this morning?" He kissed the top of her head like he had been doing everyday for three weeks now.

"Oh she slept like an angel as always. Not a peep." The woman was so outrageously happy she didn't even think to question a thing.

"I'm going to check the mail, I'll be right back." The husband said as he kissed both of them again on his way out.

He caught the post man just as he was arriving which was always a nice surprise. "Morning Mr. Granger! How's the new one doin'? Have you givin' the little tyke a name yet? The whole village is wondering, it's been three weeks!" The post man said with a good natured smile.

"Oh yes, yes. The missus and I finally decided on Hermione."


	2. Chapter 2

A/N: okay i know its taken me forever to update but i promise I'm going to try and make more updates more often, i knew what i wanted in this chapter but i just didn't know how to go about it! haha writer block i guess. thank you all so much for your reviews, you have no idea how much they all mean and how much they encourage me to keep writing this. if you have any suggestions or characters you would like to see let me know and I'll try and put it in there! :) oh and i know there are going to be alot of spelling mistakes in this chapter, my computer crashed and i got it reformated and i haven't put Microsoft word back on my computer, but as soon as do I'll edit this chapter and put it back up spell checked.

Things in the Wizarding world went about normally after the Black tragedy. Bellatrix graduated Hogwarts, was recruited to the Death Eaters, and married Rudolphus, just like she was expected to do. She was never the same caring, loving sister she once was before Arianna. None of them were. She grew angry and resentful of her parents for letting this happen to their family, thus pushing herself away from them forever.

A couple years later Andromeda was also growing away from her family, but in a different way. While Bellatrix became darker and darker as the years progressed, only involving herself in the darkest of magic, Andromeda fell in love with the lighter side of magic, she knew dark magic had killed her sister and wanted nothing to do with it any longer. When she was sixteen she fell in love with a muggle, and was disowned forever, getting pushed away further when she got pregnant with a half-blood. She missed her sisters dearly, especially Bellatrix, but knew that Bella would have nothing to do with her while she was on Dumbledore's side of the war.

Narcissa on the other hand didn't go to the extremes of good or dark magic. She just became cold. After seeing her beloved little sisters dead mutilated body she grew numb from life, not wanting a part of it any longer. She became known throughout the whole wizarding world as the coldest woman, never approachable. She was married off to Lucius Malfoy, a man just as cold and uncaring as she, it was a perfect match. When Bellatrix joined the Death Eater ranks, she didn't feel pity, or sorrow at her sisters decision like Andromeda, she didn't feel proud like her parents. She just didn't care, she knew that without Arianna in her life, she wouldn't be able to care about anything ever again. When Andromeda was disowned, she did feel sorrow, sorrow that she lost another one of her sisters. She attempted suicide on numerous occasions, but could never go through with it, she couldn't cause her parents the pain of losing another daughter to death. But even when she had her darling son Draco, she didn't feel the overwhelming happiness a mother should get after seeing their newborn for the first time...she felt nothing.

Cygnus and Druella Black went on with life, never showing how much they were feeling, their family was falling apart, they knew that Arianna would be back in their lives again one day, but who knew when that day would be. They wished more than anything they could save their daughters the pain their were going though by telling them the truth, but they couldn't risk it with Voldemort. Voldemort had been growing more and more powerful everyday. Without the threat of the four most powerful beings looming over his head, he was happily destroying everything good in the world.

In 1979, September 19th to be exact, Cygnus Black contracted a mild case of Dragon pox, and because he refused medical help, saying it was too alike with Dumbledore for him to go through with it, he died later in the evening, Druella, blind with grief, downed a bottle of poison usually saved for torture purposes, thus ending the lives of the patriarch and matriarch of the Black family, and lifting some of the numerous spells on Hermione Granger.

* * *

Hermione Jean Granger had a normal life, that is up until July 1991. Her parents and herself had gotten a visit from a strange man, he said his name was Dumbledore, claiming that Hermione was a witch, and a great one at that. They hadn't believed him until he pulled out a long stick that he said was his 'wand' and made their couch (with the Granger's still on it) float in the air. She couldn't believe her luck! Before now, she had always just been bookworm Hermione, nothing special, just Hermione, the girl who read alot and knew too much. But she was a witch! She got to go to a school and learn completely new things, and meet new people. She knew she was going to miss her parents, and she knew they were already missing her, but she knew she had to do this, she felt it was her destiny, something about the magical world was just calling to her, like a giant magnet and she was a strip of metal. When her parents had taken to her the magical town called Diagon Alley, she couldn't believe all the things she saw. Wizards and witches flew actual brooms! (though she wasn't to excited about trying this out, she still had a slight fear of heights) and the people that walked around, they were just so interesting, she really couldn't get over how amazing it all was.

But now it was time for her to board the Hogwarts Express, to finally go towards her destiny. Dumbledore (who she had learned was the headmaster at her new school) had told her how to get to the train, she had to walk though a wall. Now this scared her a bit. Walk through a wall? If she hadn't already been to Diagon alley and seen all the magical things in the world, she would have been sure he was fooling with her and just trying to get her hurt, but she also couldn't help but trust Dumbledore. So as she found the pillar between platforms 9 and 10, she, along with her parents, ran forward , all of them closing their eyes terrified of impact with the hard brick wall. But they weren't too surprised when they just ran through the wall and were face to face with the dark red train, the Hogwarts Express.

Now Hermione might have been excited as ever to go to her new school, but she was still a pre-teen, and still slightly embarrassed by her parents.

"Mum, dad, would mind terribly if we said our goodbyes here, i don't want to look like a horrible chicken." Hermione said as they stood in front of the doors of the train, she loved her parents, but having your parents walk you onto the train was just too far.

"Haha, I had a feeling you would say that darling. Don't worry we don't want to embarrass you in front of all these new people. I'll miss you terribly, you will write everyday yes? Tell us everything there is to know about Hogwarts, I hate that i'm not going to be able to see you again until Christmas but i know how much this means to you. But now, don't worry about your dad and me, we'll get alone just find without you, now go! Live your magical life!" Hermione's mother said, trying to push back the tears that we're threatening to overtake her as she watched her only little girl leave her to live somewhere else. She felt her husbands arms wrap around her shoulders for support just as she thought she wouldn't be able to hold back the tears any longer.

"Now, now dear, i hardly think crying all over the poor girl will make her anyless embarrassed on her first day. We love you and will see you later princess." Her father said, guiding her mother away before she really started to cause a scene. Hermione had been happy with her parents long goodbye, she wasn't 100 percent eager to leave them either, but she had to.

After finding her own compartment, she opened her new favorite book, Hogwarts, A History. She had already read it 3 times but just couldn't get enough of learning about the place she would be living at for the next seven years. She had just gotten to the part about the ceiling the the dining hall that reflected the sky outside when a pudgy boy looking to be about her age came rushing in.

"H-h-hello, Have you seen a toad, his name is Trevor, i can't believe i've lost him! my gran will kill me if she finds out i've already lost him, she just bought him for me yesterday!" He started rambling, but Hermione stopped him before he worked himself into a fit, or more of a fit than he already was in.

"No, I haven't seen Trevor, but I'll help you look for him. My name is Hermione Granger by the way. Whats yours?" Hermione knew this was her first chance to make a friend and she wasn't about to lose the chance.

"M-m-my names Neville, Neville Longbottom. T-t-thank you so much! Your so nice! most people have just looked at me funny or laughed when i asked them if they had seen my toad." He said with a depressing tone, but not a surprised one, as if he was already used to this kind of treatment. It looked like the magical school wasn't going to be completely different from muggle school.

With that the duo went from compartment to compartment, Neville usually letting Hermione ask if they had seen the toad since she seemed to get better responses from people than he did.

"I haven't heard the name Granger before, did your mother get remarried or something?" Neville asked while they took a break to eat some lunch, it wasn't as if the toad was going anywhere far. He had become far more comfortable with her, she was extremely nice and sincere in her actions towards him,

"What ever do you mean? My parents have always been married, And its not a surprise you haven't heard my name before, since I'm muggleborn and my last name is unique to begin with." Hermione explained to the boy, she had grown to like Neville quite alot, even though his nervous habits did annoy her just a tad bit. She couldn't fathom why he would be asking if her mother got remarried though.

"Oh well, i just assumed you were a pureblood, the way you walk and talk are some of the trademarks we have, its the way we're brought up you see, my gran put me through five years of etiquette training when i was younger, you know, walk with a book on your head and all that non-sense. i never picked it up well if you couldn't tell." he chuckled. "You just seem very well poised, i wasn't meaning any offense when i asked if your mother was remarried, i shouldn't have a-assumed, merlin i'm so sorry-" he started a rambling apology which Hermione quickly stopped, she was fast becoming tired of him being compltely relaxed around her one moment and nervous as hell the next.

"Neville stop! It's okay, i'm not upset that you asked me, I never took any lessons on ediquitte, i've just always been like this. I don't know why. But listen, why don't you stay here and finish your lunch and i'm going to go to the remaining compartments and look for Trevor." She said, making a hasty exit. She need a break from his apologizing. The next compartment she went to held two boys her age eating too many sweets anyboy their age should be allowed. One had red hair and a dirty smuge on his nose which made her highly uncomfortable, as if being around someone dirty made her dirty by association, she couldn't figure out why she felt like that all the sudden but she knew she did. The other boy had messy black hair flying in every direction and black rimmed glasses held together by masking tape, both boys looked slightly pathetic and she didn't really want to ask them if they had seen the cursed toad but she knew she had to.

"Hello, have either if you seen a toad, a boy named Neville's lost one and i'm helping him look for it." She said with a slight drawl, and by the looks on both boys faces she could understand why Neville seemed a little intimadated by her, she did seem a bit snooty. After both boys shook their heads no, she noticed that the dirty red head had this wand out and pointing to this rat. 'why would anyone have a rat as a pet, and i thought a toad was bad enough!' Hermione thought to herself.

"Oh, are you doing magic? Let's see then!" She said excitly, she always got a bit excited when someone was doing magic, she still was impressed by it all. But when the boy receited a horribly said spell, which she didn't think was an actual spell, she wasn't impressed anylong, she actually had decided to impress them, show them what true magic was, Dumbledore did say after all that she was going to powerful, though she couldn't fathom how he could know that already.

She went and sat across the boy with taped up glasses, and pointed at them with her own want and recited "Reparo!" and just like that the tape flew off of his glasses and showed off his new fixed glasses. He clearly in shock by which she had just done and she could already tell he didn't come from the magical world, or he wouldn't have been nearly as impressed with a simple repairing spell. He took off this glasses to inspect them better all around and it was then she saw his lighting bolt scar on his forehead.

"Holy cricket! your Harry Potter!" Hermione said, awe evident in her voice. "I've read so many books about you! How much magic can you do, I had thought you were a muggleborn like me, but i guess i was wrong." Hermione started on her own ramble, which didn't happen very often.

"I'm in books?" Harry asked with a slight tone of fear in his voice. she couldn't understand how he couldn't possibly know he was in books! if it was her she would have read up on herself as much as possible, and she told him so.

"Well, i guess I'm not muggleborn, but i didn't know i was a wizard until a few weeks ago, I'm as much of a muggleborn since I've lived with my Aunt and Uncle all my life." Harry tried to explain to the overly excited girl, he was hoping everyone wasn't going to stare at his scar like she was now.

"Oh well that's okay, I'm sure we'll be just fine. I'm Hermione Granger by the way" and she had at long last finally remember there was another boy in the compartment, and although she wasn't overwhelming excited to talk to him, she knew she had to for the sake of politeness. "And you are?" she said pointedly at the dirty red head, her drawl quite evident in her voice.

"Ron Weasly." He said shortly, he had noticed how she was ignoring him and didn't seem to pleased to be talking to him now, but just as he had been about to say something else to her, and small blonde boy with two larger ones standing behind him like bodyguards came in. They had heard Harry had been on the train and he introduced himself as Draco Malfoy, which explained his cold mannerisms, and snotty attitude. He had also offered his hand in friendship to Harry and told him to stay away from Ron and Hermione since they were lower than them and would only hurt his social status in the long run. But Harry had shown what a true friend he was going to be by standing by his new friend and told Draco off. Obviously angry, Draco turned to Hermione.

"And what are you looking at _mudblood_you should have to pay to be able to look at purebloods like me, your obviously not worthy enough." He was about to whip out his wand and curse her with one of the curses his father had taught him over the summer for fun when he looked into her eyes. What he saw stopped him in the tracks, she was angry, and that was evident in her eyes, but there was something else, something he would think about when he was alone. He decided to back off of her for now, at least until he knew more about her.

After Draco and his cronies left, after drawing the line that would forever mark them all enemies, Hermione decided it was time to go back on her search for Trevor, she had spent more than enough time in there with Harry and Ron and needed to go help Neville, unaware of the effect she had just had a Draco. As she stood to leave she turned and faced Ron.

"Oh and just so you know you got something, right here." she said pointing to her nose, she had been planning on saying something much more cruel, but after watching them defend her muggleborn status to Draco she couldn't help but be a little nicer to them, maybe they weren't so bad after all.

Over in the next compartment, Draco sat by the window, thinking about what he had just scene. It wasn't just anger he saw behind her brown eyes. it was blind fury, coldness, darkness. the kind of darkness a muggleborn did not, and could not possess. It was the kind of darkness you inherited, when your family practiced dark magic, and usually only other dark families could see this darkness, as they were used to seeing it in their own eyes every time they looked in the mirror. Draco also knew that coldness in her eyes well, too well for an 11 year old boy. It was the look he received from his mother every time she looked at him, he thought he would never see that kind of coldness in another human being, after all Narcissa was known for how cold her eyes were. He knew there was more to Hermione Granger than met the eye, and he would spend all seven years at Hogwarts finding out if he had to. It would become his obsession.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: i just thought i should let you guys know, after this chapter things will start to speed up a bit, it'll probably be a year at Hogwarts each chapter, don't worry they'll al be long chapters so you won't miss anything good but i honestly can't see anything happening huge happening until Hermione is older and able to deal with it all better. One more thing, there is a specific feel i want in this story, and this song called "Pretty when you cry" by Vast is the exact feeling i want, you'll get what i mean if you listen to it!

Also i thought i would show you what i think eachcharcer looks like..in my head at least haha. Most everyone is the same as in the movies..but Narcissa is Naomi Watts (cliche i know but i love her) Rachel Weisz as Andromeda, and i'm not showing who Adult Arianna would look like yet...thats a surprise.

&

The Hogwarts Express finally pulled to a stop, after what seemed forever to Hermione. She couldn't wait to get out and see the place she'd learn magic and live. She still hadn't found Trevor for Neville but had snuck away to her own compartment to read her book again, afterall..it wasn't her toad. She heard alot of students talking about the four houses on Hogwarts, Gryffindor, Slytherin, Hufflepuff, and Ravenclaw. Now she had read alot about all four houses in Hogwarts, a History, but she had been hearing differnt things from the students. Like you were only in Hufflepuff if you were a wuss, all Slytherin's were evil, Ravenclaws had no lives because all they did was study (which didn't sound too bad to Hermione), and that Gryffindor's didn't think with their heads and got into alot of trouble. She didn't know which to believe, the textbook, which just stated the noble qualities of each house, or students, who had been at Hogwarts for years, or had brothers and sisters who go to the magical school. She thought about which house she wanted to be in while she disembarked the train and headed over to the huge man that was calling over for the first years.

"_I very much hope i won't be in Hufflepuff, if what i hear is right, then none of them have any back bone, and i certainly have back bone! No Hufflepuff for me...I wonder if we get to pick which house we're in."_

_"Ravenclaw wouldn't be so bad, but I don't want to be known as bookworm Hermione like i was in muggle school, i want to have more friends this time around, no matter what i have to do to get them." _

_"Gryffindor? I don't know, being brave is good, but from what everyone says they don't really think about much, just fighting and quidditch, i'm sure they are more complex than that, they must be, they can't ALL be a bunch of dunderheads! I bed Harry and Ron will be in Gryffindor, they seem just the type to run into a problem without thinking it through."_

_"Now Slytherin...they can't all be bad, otherwise Dumbledore wouldn't allow them in the school...right? Though that Draco seemed absolutly horrible, i'm sure he wasn't EVIL, i mean he was my age! Although everyone seems to look down on the Slytherin's because their 'evil'..."_

She didn't get to finish her thought as the boats she and all other first years were in came around a corner and they got their first look at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. It was amazing, just as she had imagined it...only better. It was huge, beyond huge, she didn't know if she'd ever be able to know her way around, even after seven years. She was sharing a boat with Harry and Neville and could see in both of their faces that they were thinking the exact same thing...there was only one word for this amazing castle...magical.

They all made their way out of the boats and to the huge doors where a very tall and very stern looking woman stood. Just as the woman was about to say something Neville ran up past everyone up to the woman and grabbed a toad...Trevor, how he knew that particular toad was Trevor is anyone's guess but by the look on the stern woman's face, she did not approve of Neville's outburst.

The woman introduced herself has Professor McGonagall, she told them that they would put on a Sorting Hat, and it would tell them which house they would be in. This made Hermione nervous, after all, how was a hat supposed to know where to put her? Unless it could see into her mind, which made her very uneasy, she was a very private person and didn't like other people knowing what she was thinking.

After her Professors McGonagall's speech, all the first years followed her into the dining room, which was even more amazing than books at described, the ceiling really did look like it was the sky, and Hermione proudly told anyone who would listen that she already knew exactly why it looked like that. They all lined up waiting to be called up and put on the hat in front of the whole student body. Student after student was called, one person never staying up there too long, it seemed it didn't take the hat long to decide where to put you, but it seemed after it would annouce what house you were in, it seemed right, for example right after Susan Bones was called up and the hat anounced her for Hufflepuff...it just seemed right, it was just obvious by looking at her that she fit in perfectly with Hufflepuff, and she wondered how she had not seen it before, and it was like that with every student until McGonagall finally called her name.

"Granger, Hermione!"

She started to slowly make her way forward, she'd be an idiot if she didn't admit she was nervous, she was scared stiff, but she was also excited to see which house she would best fit in. She sat on the stool and the hat was placed on her head, which was slightly too big for her and slid over her eyes. Then something strange happend, after sitting there for a couple seconds, waiting for the hat to say something about her, like it had for everyother student before her...it started laughing...it was laughing hysterically..at her! She couldn't believe it, why would the Sorting hat be laughing at her?! Was she not magical enough? Did she not fit into any of the four houses, were they going to kick her out? Just before she was going to ask the hat itself why it was being so incredibly rude, for not only could she hear it laughing but the whole school could, which was highly embarrassing, the hat stopped his laughing and started talking to her, but unlike everyone else, it was talking in her head and not out loud.

"**well well well...this is a very pleasent surprise! I can happily say you have made my day ms. Granger. Oh and I am so very sorry for laughing, I was not laughing at you, but you see when your a hat and only get let out once a year, you find the smallest things amusing." **the hat said with a small chuckle. Hermione couldn't be angry at the hat anylonger, she could see that it was sincere, and although she couldn't understand how she had made him so happy, she was glad she had been able to since sitting in one room all year besides one day seemed like a horrible life. Before she could say, or think, anything to the hat he started talking again.

**"Now, where shall I place you, you've got the brains of a Ravenclaw, but a high thirst to proveyourself to your peers in other aspects. So no Ravenclaw, How about Hufflepuff? No, no that wouldn't work, you are loyal, but not to many, and seeing as Hufflepuffs and loyal to most people, you wouldn't fit in there, seeing as you also don't trust people easily..oh and that temper! no no no! that would not fit in well with the Hufflepuffs! Gryffindor seems to be the best pick for you, bravery, guts, and maybe your brains in that house will straighten them out! HA! well yes! you will be in--"**

"_What about Slytherin, I'm not saying i want to be in Slytherin, but you didn't even consider it for me, would i be that out of place there?"_ Hermione thought to the hat quickly before it could annouce her house to everyone else, she was curious about why it hadn't even considered Slytherin.

But this was the exact question the Sorting hat was praying to merlin she wouldn't ask him. It seemed like he was having to lie to this girl quite alot and he didn't like that, not one bit, he believed that every student should be placed in the house that fits them best...but in this case he could not, it would unravel everything and he could cleary see this was not the time for everything to be known, she was still young, naive, she should live her young life, duty free and happy before her world fell apart.

**"No dear, you would not fit in well at Slytherin, trust me on this, you would not be happy there. But you will do amazingly in Gryffindor, i promise you that!" **

**"Gryffindor!!" **The Sorting hat yelled before she could ask him anymore questions. He wasn't lying when he said she would do great in Gryffindor, that was true, she had alot of qualities that a made a true Gryffindor, but it wasn't the house she was destined for. The hat couldn't see the future, but he knew that he would be meeting Ms. Hermione Granger again one day in the future.

&

Hermione sat on her bed in her new dorm thinking about dinner that night, and the sorting. She had been pleased that the three people she knew had gotten sorted into the same house as her, so she at least knew some people. She had talked to Harry and Ron alot more during dinner and found they weren't all that bad. Sure they had talked about quidditch alot but they weren't as pathetic as she had first thought. When the Sorting had said she was in Gryffindor, she didn't feel the same as it seemed everyone else did. They all seemed like they were exactly where they were supposed to be. But for her it all just seemed wrong, she was content in Gryffindor yes, but it felt like she was supposed to be somewhere else. But deciding that the Sorting hat knew what it was doing she went to go get in night clothes out of the truck that appeared in her room when she entered. She passed her dorm mates without saying a word, she knew all ready that they wouldn't be the best of friends, they hadn't shut up about boys and makeup and gossip since they sat down at dinner that night. She had never been intrested in all of the stuff other girls her age were concerened about. She had always put her education first, it was one of the bigger reasons she was always known as a bookworm growing up.

That night Hermione had a very strange dream, she couldn't see everything, she was just surrouned in a grey fog, she could hear voices but couldn't make out what most of them were saying. There was one voice however that sounded strangly familar, it was a child's voice screaming 'Bella' over and over again.

&

Over the next few months things progressed nicely at Hogwarts, Hermione, Ron, and Harry had actually become very good friends, they didn't have a whole lot in commen, but they had fun with eachother, which was the most important thing in a young friendship. She didn't have another dream like the one from the first night at school and just chalked it up to being in a new place, but she stored it to the back of her mind knowing she would remember it if she ever had to.

It was already Christmas break and Hermione was in her dorm packing to go home. She was the only one out of their threesome that was going home, and while she felt bad for leaving them here she missed her parents terribly, she had been writing them weekly, letting them know all the big events and telling them about her friends and teachers, though she left a certain troll incident out, it still wasn't the same as seeing them and telling them all about her new life. Hermione took a look around her dorm, she very much didn't want to leave, even though she wanted to see her parents, she just wished they could come to Hogwarts to see her instead of her leaving, she didn't like the idea of leaving the magical world, as if when it was time to come back it wouldn't be here anymore. She shook the thought out of her head, knowing that it was non-sense. And with that last thought grabbed her bag and went to go board the train back home.

Meanwhile in the Slytherin Dorms...

Draco had been watching Hermione obssessvily since school started. Much to his distress, he hadn't found anything out of the ordinary about her. But he knew that wasn't the case, there was something special about her and Draco Malfoy didn't like not knowing things, and he was obsessed about finding out this secret. The only thing about her worth noting was how she seemed to be a human textbook, only one that could recite spells perfectly the first time cast. He noticed all of the Professors took note of the ability too, even though they never apporched her about it, he knew she must be extreamly powerful. It took all most all witches and wizards a couple of times to get a spell for the first time. Draco knew of one other person who seemed to memorize everything they read and extreamly powerful...his mother. But she was a pureblood, it was completely acceptable for her to be exceptional at magic. But stupid Granger was just a mudblood! She should be able to produce magic as easily as she did. He planned on asking father about it over break, he wasn't guarrenteed a responce but it was worth a shot. And with that he left for the train back home.

&

When Hermione got off the train she found her parents right away and bolted towards them, practially knocking them over with the force of her hug.

"Hello darling! We're happy to see you too, but could we possibly have out limbs back now?" Karen Granger said with a smile, estatic to see her daughter again.

"OH! sorry Mum, Daddy, how have you been, i've missed you so much, i love school its so much fun! what have you two been up to? have you missed me? i missed you!" Hermione said all very fast and hugged her parents again, it was obvious to anyone in the area that she was happy to be home.

" Oh we've missed you too princess, don't worry about that! So how about we get to the car and then you can start telling us all about school. hm?" Charles Granger suggested while already guiding his overly excited daughter and wife to the car.

Hermione caught them up on pretty much every move everyone made at Hogwarts, she gave them all the details on her professors and even did a impression of Snape for them, which they all laughed at. Once they arrived home Hermione ran straight up to her room and looked at everything with a sudden frown on her face, all all the sudden, things didn't seem right. She looked around her room, and saw all her stuffed animals and flowery bed spread, it just didn't seem like her anymore. It all seemed like someone elses room, she had seen and done so much already at Hogwarts, she knew she had grown up at least a little bit, and this room just did not seem like it belonged to her any longer. As she walked out of her room and towards the kitchen where her parents were, it suddenly seemed like the whole house didn't fit her anymore, she all the sudden had to do things the muggle way, and she didnt' like it too much anymore, she had gotten so used to doing things with magic that doing things like she used to seemed stupid and pointless now. When she walked into the kitchen her parents caught onto her mood immediatly.

"Hey princess is something wrong?" Her father asked, concern reflecting in his eyes, which as soon as her mother noticed Hermione she had the same look.

Hermione wanted to tell her parents how she felt, she told them everything almost, but she knew this was one of the things she couldn't tell them, it would upset them to hear, that their daughter didn't feel comfortable in their house anymore.

"No, no nothing is wrong, its just strange being back is all." Hermione said with a forced smile, which her parents happily accepted and went back to what they were doing before she had walked in.

Over the break everything went smoothly, but Hermione never got over the feeling that she didn't fit into the muggle world anymore. She still didn't say anything to her parents, and was becoming good at masking her feelings around them. Once it was time to go back to Hogwarts, Hermione couldn't have been happier, she was extreamly anxious to use her wand again and to just be able to be in the magical world again excited her.

Meanwhile at Malfoy Manor...

Draco had finally decided to ask his father about Granger, or actually he was going to ask more about his mother and hope to get answers about Granger that way. Draco made his way to his fathers study, he knew that he wasn't allowed to bother his father while he was in the study unless it was of upmost importance, but he felt this was pretty important, he just hoped his father felt the same way.

"Father, I'm sorry to bother you but i was wanting to talk to you about something" Draco said as formally as he could, he father was very big on formalities.

Lucius look up from his paperwork to his son, he looked extreamly nervous about whatever he wanted to talk about. He had also noticed over the school break that Draco had spent alot of time watching Narcissa, which was very strange and he could quickly tell Narcissa was growing tired of the boy.

"Yes, son. What is it you wanted to talk about?" Lucius said as kindly as he possibly good, which wasn't very much.

"Well...i was just going to ask...um...why is it that...no um...is it somekind of...ugh...Why is-" Draco studdered, he could never talk right in front of his father, he always felt like he was on trial for something, he couldn't even think which way was the best way to ask about this.

"Well?! spit it out boy!" Lucius snarled.

"Why is mother the way she is?" He finally said very fast, he took a deep breathe, proud he had finally mananged to get the question out.

Lucius smiled inwardly, so this explained his sudden intrest in Narcissa. It wasn't too surprising that their son finally asked why his mother was so cold, why she seemed distant from everyone and everything constantly, hell even he still wondered why, even though he knew the reason he couldn't grasp it.

"I don't only mean the way her personality is...but the reason she is so good at everything, can anyone be like that, like a mudblood, or is she just special?" the 11 year old boy asked.

"Son, your mother is extreamly smart, but that is because she is a pureblood, mudbloods will never even measure up to us, She is also a Black, which makes her even more special, they were a very prominate family you know."

"oh, but what if you did find a mudblood, and they were smart...just like mother?" He asked as carefully as he could, his father tended to get angry when asked the same question twice.

"Then said mudblood would be an imposter, it is impossible for a person other than wizarding hertiage to possess the power like what your mother possesses." Lucius said with a growl, he was fast getting tired of this pointless question, mudbloods could not and would not ever be like the purebloods. "Don't you have homework to do, go now! And don't bother me again with your idiotic questions."

Draco knew when enough was enough, and he had crossed that line awhile ago, but he had gotten an answer...sort of. Hermione Granger was an imposter...and he was going to find out who she really was.

.

A/n: Okay so i know its kinda slow, but things will get more intresting as the years progress...you know when sirius breaks out...when Bellatrix breaks out, when Hermione meets Narcissa at the world cup..when Hermione meets Tonks...so just hold tight!

oh and who do you guys want Hermione to end up with? let me know! But remember no Draco, Harry, or Ron.


	4. Chapter 4

A/n- PLEASE DON'T HURT ME! *ducks from flying tomatoes and apples* I know I've been away for SOO long, but unfortunately life and writers block is a bitch. Getting all your reviews, even after a couple years of me not updating is truly touching and the main reason i continued this. I didn't really know where to go with it, but inspiration struck me today and i actually outlined this entire story. Now i know you won't believe me, hell I wouldn't believe me either. But I will be updating this more often now. You'll just have to wait and see it happen. I hope you enjoy this chapter, I made it extra long to make up for all the lost time and it definitely one of my favorite chapters. ENJOY! XOXOXO

Christmas break had come and gone and some wish it had never even happened.

Hermione couldn't wait to be back home, at Hogwarts. Over the two weeks she was with her parents, she came to realize that it was not her home anymore. The muggle world was not where she belonged at all. It felt strange really, to feel so out of place somewhere she had spent the first eleven years of her life at, but that just how she felt, it couldn't really be explained.

"Oh darling we will miss you so terribly much!" Hermione's mother had been crying the entire day. In the kitchen for breakfast, on the car ride to the train station, and most embarrassingly, in front of the Hogwarts Express where all her fellow classmates were staring and making rude remarks.

"You'll be okay without me mum, you did fine before, and you'll do fine now." She found herself comforting her mother, which bugged her more than a little.

"Yes yes dear, we will be fine, our little girl is going to go make us proud, we can't hold her back from that." Her father said while pulling her mother's vice grip off of Hermione's clothes and hair. He was always an understanding man, and had noticed his daughters' sudden disinterests over the break more than his wife did.

It was understandable to him; If he had gone to a world full of amazing and spectacular things, he imagined it would be fairly hard to come back to normalcy as well. As long as she stayed his smart and polite little princess all was right by him.

"I will write as often as I can, but I really must be getting on the train now, I don't know what I would do if I missed it." It was hard to see her mother so upset but seeing her father so put together made it easier to rush her goodbye.

As she was trying to find a compartment with little to no students in it, she noticed Malfoy sitting by himself. It was strange to see him without his loyal bodyguards and kind of refreshing at the same time. Anyone who couldn't walk around by themselves was pretty pathetic. Before she could keep walking down the aisle he lifted his eyes from the book he was reading, which she couldn't see the name of, and just stared back at her. She noticed the near black circles under his eyes and wondered what could possibly be giving a boy his age sleepless nights. Just another mystery to tack on to the never ending list that was Draco Malfoy.

Over the first couple months at school, she had noticed how all his spells and potions worked a bit differently than hers. It was never anything dramatic; she didn't even think the teachers really noticed. When she had cast Wingardium Leviosa, her napkin had neatly lifted in the air for all to see. When Draco cast the same spell, it flung itself across the room and into someone's face just as they were casting the spell themselves, causing an explosion.

It definitely caused her to be curious about the blonde boy, but not so much as to actually speak with him. He would only throw more curses her way.

It was a little disconcerting as he didn't say a word, but just stared. And just like that, as if nothing had happened at all he started back with his book.

She thought about the random interaction for majority of the trip back. The entire year thus far he hadn't done anything put throw rude remarks and pointless spells her way. But when he had looked at her on the train it was as if he was just tired, not enough energy to even insult her; Previously she would have thought he had an endless supply to remarks saved just for her but it seemed she was mistaken.

….

Back at Malfoy Manor

Narcissa was endlessly happy the school term had started once again. She had not had one peaceful moment to herself for two entire weeks. Every time she had turned around Draco was there, just watching her as if she was about turn into a fairy and start prancing around the room. It was insufferable to say the least.

It's not as if she didn't love her child. Of course she did, she would never want harm to come to him. But these feelings had not always been there. For the first five or so years of his life she could barely stand the sight of him.

Things started to change one fall right after Lucius had bought their son his first toddler broom to start learning. He had given strict instructions to the boy that he would not under any circumstances ride alone without at least a house elf around.

They were bloody stupid things but at least they could be relied upon to alert them if something were to happen.

Well as you know it, their son had to inherited the stubbornness gene that seemed to plague both their families and decided an afternoon fly was just what he wanted while his parents were at a function. After causing a distraction for the house elves (he was always smart little boy, even at that age) he ran to the very back area behind the manor and started flying around in insane circles that only little boys think are fun.

Quite predictably he fell 20 feet from the broom, causing a head injury and quite a few other broken bones.

Now Narcissa had never had that maternal instinct so many women claim to have the second they give birth; And she will never admit this to anyone besides maybe her husband but she knew immediately that something was wrong.

She apparated to just outside the manor gates and sprinted as fast as she could for the second time in her life. It felt like everything in her was changing in that very moment, things she had shut off in herself ever since she was a little girl were springing back to life. She felt true fear for someone she loved and it was not making her very happy.

When she finally found him amidst the shrubbery, Lucius not far behind her, she saw his tiny broken bones that reminded her so much of someone else, someone she would not think about. All the blood running from his head made her fall to the ground before she could even reached him.

All Narcissa could think about was another person she loved more than herself was going to die a painful death and she hadn't been able to stop it once again.

With that final thought, she tried to stand up to reach him but didn't have the strength. So she dragged herself through the mud and leaves to her little boy. She didn't care if her hair was covered in leaves, if her priceless one of a kind cloak was tearing apart at the seams and soaked in mud. All that mattered was that she save him.

And she did. When she finally reached Draco, Lucius had finally reached them and already had his wand out ready to do whatever was necessary. After about a month of bone regrowth potions and blood replenishing serums he was able to walk and run around the manor again. But he was not allowed near a broom for another three years.

So even though she did love her child, it was not fun to be around him all the time. He had kept asking her to do certain spells, simple spells that he had been learning that year. At first she obliged, thinking one or two tricks and he'd be on his way. But no, that was not how it went.

…..

Back at Hogwarts

As soon as Hermione set foot back in the castle it was like all her nerves were on fire. Not in the nervous way, but in the magic sort of way. It was comparable to walking through the desert for two weeks with no water, then diving into the first oasis.

She couldn't wait to see Harry and Ron again and tell them all about how horribly boring her Christmas was. She knew they had felt sad and left out since they had to stay at the castle over break, but honestly she was the jealous one.

She was sprinting through the corridors, not even looking where she was going when she ran right into someone's squishy chest knocking her to the ground. As her eyes traveled upwards she noticed the bright red Gryffindor colors at first, which normally would have automatically made her feel a bit better about the whole incident. But then she saw the prefect badge as well and the short red hair that accompanied it. Percy.

"And can ask you what you were doing running like a crazed girl through the hallways Miss Granger? Surely you are intelligent enough to know how dangerous that can be in this castle." Percy said as he just looked at her, not even bothering to help her up or pick up the things she had dropped.

"I'm so sorry Percy! I'm just so excited to see your brother and Harry that I got carried away, I hope you weren't hurt." She pulled herself together fast and tried to be as polite as she could. Percy had taken to loving his position to give and take points away and to giving detentions.

"Well just be more careful next time, would you? Wouldn't want anything to happen to your pretty little head now would we?" Percy said while giving her the slimiest smile she had ever witnessed in her life. He put his hand on her head and stroked down her cheek in a way that made her feel way too uncomfortable. Too terrified to say anything to the older boy to make him stop though, she just stood there and let him stare, making her feel naked with his eyes.

"Hey mudblood! Hoping to earn a little extra credit with the weasel I see. Can't say I'm surprised. Trash usually hangs around trash." It was the first time Hermione had ever been happy to hear Draco Malfoy's voice. He had appeared behind them out of nowhere. As soon as his voice was heard Percy jerked his hand away from her face, which had been inching slowing towards her mouth, and gave Malfoy and cold and calculating look.

"And what are you doing so high in the castle at this time Malfoy? Your common room is quite bit south from here if I remember correctly. And it is near curfew, seeing as you would not have made it back to your own room in time go ahead and take a detention. Report to Professor Mcgonagall tomorrow evening straight after your last class." And with that he was gone, presumably to go scare another girl witless.

Hermione was going to say something to Malfoy; not thank him exactly, but say something. When she turned around to address him though, he was gone. Likely went to go whine about the stupid Gryffindors and their stupid rules to his goonies.

She slowly walked back to her dorm, confidant that she wouldn't have another run in with the prefect. She had never suspected one of Ron's brothers to act like that. Though the only ones she really knew were the older twins Fred and George. She knew that Percy was a prefect and weren't prefects supposed to uphold the rules, not make new ones?

Slytherin dorms….

Draco was almost positive what he had seen. While on vacation he had decided not to go out of his way to antagonize Granger. He wanted to spy on her and to spy on someone you shouldn't be noticed. He planned on following her up to her common room for two reasons. He wanted to know where said common room was, and he wanted to see if she did anything suspicious on her first night back.

But what he had witnessed was not what he had expected and his own reaction was a surprise as well.

What should he care how the blood traitor treated the mudblood. It was a match made in heaven. But she had looked so terrified; so unlike the girl he first met with the dark cruel eyes. He watched for a moment, to see if she would attack him, but nothing happened. She just stood there like a pathetic little twit and let him practically grope her!

And what did he get out of trying to do a good thing for once in his life? Detention! How the bloody hell this was fair was beyond him. It didn't matter though in the end. He would get his revenge on that ginger traitor.

The next day….

All day Draco had been dreading going to see Professor McGonagall. He just knew that bastard of a prefect twisted the story somehow to get him in more trouble. And was he ever right. As soon as he walked into her classroom she gave him a look that sent chills up his spine.

"Mr. Malfoy. How good of you to join me. Now please explain why I should not expel you right this instant." By the time she had finished her sentence she was standing right in front of him, looking down at him as if she was looking at a slug.

"You can't expel me for being late! Which I wasn't even late when he gave me this detention. He had no right and you have no right to threaten me. You should know my mother and father will be hearing about how unfairly you treat your students here professor." Draco had tried to keep himself calm, take the detention and leave quietly. But expel him? No way.

"Mr. Malfoy, do NOT presume to not know what I am talking about. You were caught taunting another student about their blood heritage and then presumed to act inappropriately around her! Those kind of actions are not taken lightly in this school and you should know this." She said while her face was actually getting red with anger.

"Have you even talked to Granger yourself? If you did you would know that is not what happened." And he stopped talking after that. It wasn't his business to tell her what had truly happened; and while normally he would have said anything to get out of this, it just didn't seem right.

"No I was hoping not to bother her about this unless you gave me trouble But it looks as if I have no choice. Sit right there and if I find one muscle out of place when I return there will be no mercy." With that she swept out of the room leaving him alone.

Mcgonagall returned just a short twenty minutes later with a less stern expression on her face. She didn't say a word until she sat behind her desk again, a weary look on her face. "Mr. Malfoy if you would please come up here." She said. She didn't look angry anymore; well at least not as much as before as he made his way towards her, which made him feel a little bit better.

"I have talked to Ms. Granger and she informs me that nothing of what I was told happened last night besides a couple rude remarks. I am sorry for earlier. Normally you would still be held accountable for what you said, but under the circumstances I think you can just go back to your dorm." Mcgonagall had a kind look on her face now and he could tell she truly was sorry for yelling at him earlier. But he was wondering something.

"Did she say anything about weas- I mean Percy Weasley?" It was bothering him slightly that she hadn't reported what the prefect had done, though at least she had cleared his name.

"No she did not, why was there something you wanted to inform me of?" She asked with a weary look on her face. He could tell the prospect of more student trouble did not please her one bit. "No Professor, I was just curious. Thank you, have a good night." You can't say his mother never taught him proper manners.

As he walked back to his dorm he stewed over the previous and current events. A Malfoy did not take kindly to being set up, especially by someone so low rank as a Weasley. He would have his revenge.

In the Gryffindor dorms…

Hermione had just gotten done talking with Professor Mcgonagall. She was her favorite teacher, and she highly disliked lying to her but she had to do it. Percy was going to pay, but was going to be her way. She couldn't believe her ears when the Professor had told her what Draco was accused of. He might be a bully but he wasn't like that. Of course she had thought that about Percy as well.

It didn't matter now though, she had a plan. Well, half a plan at least. She had heard some of the students talking about an abandoned lavatory on the second floor that no one used because it was haunted. And while she was wondering who haunted it, the most important part was that no one else ever went in there.

She had spent the entire day looking for something appropriate but nothing clicked. When everyone had gone to bed for the night, she pulled out Harry's new invisibility cloak that she had "borrowed". She was sure he would understand, at least she hoped she could get it back before he noticed.

When she finally reached the girls lavatory with only a few close calls she was giddy with excitement.

She paused right outside the door, making sure no one was around to see the door open by itself when she heard something inside. Was it really haunted? She hadn't really believed it but there was definitely two voices in there. Two? Was the ghost talking to someone else? Maybe it wasn't as abandoned as she had thought.

"Just leave me be! I'm not bothering you so don't bother me, I'm trying to get something done here if you hadn't noticed." Hermione knew she recognized that drawl anywhere.

"This is a GIRLS lavatory! No boys allowed!" Now the screeching voice she did not recognize and could only assume it was the ghost.

She slowly pushed the door open just enough to see a boy with bright blonde hair standing in front of what could only be a cauldron and supplies while a transparent girl stood on the other side glaring at him.

Hermione slowly inched her way inside, trying not to make any noise and not draw attention to herself. This was a very interesting interaction to watch. They kept screaming at each other, both getting louder and louder. It wasn't as if the fight was actually going anywhere either, they just kept telling the other to get out.

Knowing they would both be caught if they kept it up she finally pulled off the cloak without a word and just stared at them both with her arms crossed.

The Ghost girl noticed first and stared back, not saying a word. It took a minute for the blonde boy to realize that she wasn't fight back with him anymore when he noticed she was looking over his head behind him.

"Malfoy." That was all she had to say. Hermione knew immediately she had his full attention.

"Well well, Granger. What are you doing roaming around after hours?" He hadn't even turned around yet, he was still giving the ghost a deadly look.

"I should be asking you the same thing, but I also wonder what you are doing in a girls lavatory as well." She was about to ask another question when the ghost rudely interrupted her.

"Yes! I've been trying to get this evil boy out of here all along! Don't you see! He isn't supposed to be here! Getting up to naughty things! Should be ashamed! Probably came in here to see if he could spy on girls. Ugh I thought boys were bad enough when I was alive but-"

"Shut up right now or I will hex you so deep into that toilet you won't ever be coming out again, understand?" Hermione had quickly gotten sick of the blabbering girl and she was only causing more trouble. An anger she didn't know she possessed had been taking over ever since the night before and this ghost was going to get the full brunt of it if she didn't go away right now.

"Ugh! Girls just as bad as boys! What is the world coming to! I'm much safer in my toilet away from you disgusting children anyway!" And with that she was gone thank the gods.

"Thanks for that Granger. I really don't think she was going to listen to me at all. She really doesn't seem to like boys does she?" Malfoy asked shamefully. She was well aware that thanking her hadn't been very easy.

"Well just consider it even for last night. What are you doing in here anyway?" she looked down at the supplies he had brought down but didn't really recognize any of it. "Planning something evil no doubt." She said it with a small smile on her face so he didn't think he was trying to start a fight with him.

"Well…I guess you are probably the only one I can tell what I'm doing. I'm giving that little weasel what he deserves. He tried to set me up for last night, and a Malfoy does not take kindly to that. We always get revenge." Hermione stared at him for a moment before she burst out laughing, quickly covering her mouth so not to attract any more noise than they already had.

"Shut up Granger! That crazy ghost of a girl already made enough noise to wake the whole castle. And why are you laughing anyway, I thought you would at least be appreciative. At least a little"

"I'm laughing because I came down here for the same reason; I'm not letting him get away with that. I might not have a family motto about always getting revenge, but he deserves a lot worse than a couple detentions." She said while she walked around to his cauldron to see what he was creating.

"It's not my family motto; just something I hear my father and mother say sometimes. It seems appropriate though. If you're interested I'm sure we could think of something better than alone. But don't think this makes us friends or anything like that. You're still a mudblood. We just happen to have this one tiny thing in common." Malfoy was already thinking of the advantages of this little union. He would get to see what she could really do close up. What she could do when she was angry. And wasn't that the best kind of magic?

Hermione looked at him for a moment. Thought back to all the mean things he had said to her before Christmas break. Compared to then he was being out right chivalrous to her. Something had changed though; she didn't believe before break, he would have even thought about teaming up with a 'lowly mudblood' even for this. It definitely made her curious.

"Okay Malfoy, you have a deal." She started to reach out her hand but took it back quickly before saying, " And your right, this won't make us friends, not by a long shot."

But as they shook on it, neither of them realized how wrong they were.


	5. Chapter 5

Hello all dear readers. One, if your still here reading this...I freaking love you. You have some serious patience. Secondly, probably the only reason this thing got kicked back off the ground again is because of some awesome readers! I love all of your reviews and it inspires me to write so much! But biggest thanks of all goes to Lessersunshine2 who seriously gave me a kick in the butt to get back on this thing. :) Enjoy xoxo (Oh and of course I don't own Harry Potter...duh)

"Sometimes whispering's okay but maybe you'd feel better if you'd screamed today"

Hermione and Draco worked every night for the next week in the girl's lavatory. They pored over every book they could find in the library, Draco wanted to check out the restricted section but Hermione was adamant that they did not need to find there answers there…yet.

"But if we cover him in warts surely someone could trace that back to us!" Hermione wailed while trying to find a dry spot on the floor to sit. "Not if we cover him in warts where no one can see." Draco said with an evil smirk, already flipping through the book to look for the ingredients they would need.

"I don't get it Malfoy, even if we covered his legs or chest, he'd still tell someone and-"Hermione's voice was already starting to reach high pitch levels of anxiety. "Granger! Shut up or you'll make a prefect come and look in here...or worse Myrtle." He said with a shudder. "And anyway...I wasn't talking about covering his bloody legs in warts; I'm not an idiot unlike your unfortunate pick of friends." Draco said while pushing his nose further into the book he was reading, trying to hide his blushing.

"Well then what else would we—Oh! Nevermind I got it…yes, yes that would be adequate. "Hermione quickly got up and busied herself looking for all their tools. It was then that she saw one of the open books that Draco had slid across the floor in a fit earlier much to her chagrin. The page it was open to was a potion that would make one lose his inhibitions. It would cause mass embarrassment and ruin his reputation forever if used at the correct time. In other words…It was perfect.

While she was making the potion, Draco had gotten pushed to the side early on; he decided this was the perfect time to just watch. Watch how she worked and focused on their project. It was obvious to him that she didn't recognize anything else happening around her while she stirred and added various ingredients. As time went on he saw how happy all this was making her. This whole revenge plot he had cooked up, an idea just to give him a couple warts, she had twisted into making her own more nefarious plot and she was enjoying it more than he had imagined she would. Draco could also have sworn her eyes flashed violet for just a split second but then he stupidly realized it had to have been the potion.

So with the first half of their plan in motion, now came the second part. Getting the Potion to Percy without him realizing it. "Okay Granger, this is where you have to pull through. Weasley's brothers should know his schedule and who he hangs out with the most, and luckily for once your friends with one of them. Find out all you can and we will report back here tomorrow night same time." Draco said as his parting words while Hermione finished cleaning their mess. He never stayed for that part…not that she was too surprised by this. He was a _Malfoy_ after all, as he liked to remind her every five minutes.

On the way back to her tower Hermione started to think about possible ways to go about this. She hardly even needed the invisibility cloak anymore since she was learning her way around the castle much more easily than she had first anticipated on her first night here. She never understood how other students complained about getting lost and the staircases leading them in wrong directions, if anything they always made sure she made it back to her dorm safe even she was lost in the depths of her own head.

It was by the time she had gotten safely back into her bed did she decide what to do without even having to consult Ron, which she knew would cause suspension eventually. The most opportune time would be breakfast, the more time he had to make a fool of himself the better. She also happened to know from hanging out with Ron, that his older brother had an obsessive crush on a girl name Penelope Clearwater, but that she wouldn't give him the time of day so far.

It was pretty good guess that Percy would accept and eat a chocolate frog that was from Penelope...and that was injected with her potion.

…..

The next morning Hermione woke up two hours before everyone else. Honestly she had barely been able to sleep all night. Planning exactly how she would do it, envisioning what would happen when he walked into the Great Hall. She could barely withhold her excitement. She never envisioned herself taking so much glee in taking revenge on someone, but she had also never had someone look at her like Percy did. And if there was anything her brain knew…if you know a threat is there, vanquish it before it can vanquish you.

Draco awoke that same morning with none of the excitement his classmate did. He honestly didn't think this would even work and had already made the wart potion behind Hermione's' back. He had taken a peek at the book while she was so busy and it was a complex potion, made for at least six years. In what possible universe could a mudblood first year pull it off?

Draco strolled down to the Great Hall for breakfast that morning like any other day. His only thoughts going to what classes he had that day and occasionally what his meeting with Hermione would be like that night when he would try to warn her about how her plan would not work. He had a feeling she would not take her own failure very well.

The Great Hall was filling to the brim as all the students sleepily made their way for breakfast. Hermione had been in her seat since the first plate appeared on the table but she had hardly been able to eat anything. All this revenge was exhausting and was wrecking her appetite, but it didn't matter; she wouldn't be doing this kind of thing ever again.

Draco saw her sitting by herself at the other end of the table, trying not to be obvious while staring down the main door like another troll was about to burst through.

Harry and Ron stumbled their way through the doors just a couple minutes later, almost giving Hermione a start when she saw red hair. They sat right in front of Hermione at the table and by the time they looked up from their plates to say hello they both noticed they were getting some intense looks from their bushy haired friend. "You 'kay 'Mione…you look mad." Harry looked over curiously, he knew she was intense but it was too early for such things.

"Yes, yes I'm perfectly fine. I'm just waiting. For breakfast to be over, I want to start class." Hermione said, catching herself in time. These dunderheads _would_ have to sit right in front of her, after she had come down early just to get this perfect spot. Oh well, if all went to plan it wouldn't matter where she sat, the spectacle would be noticeable everywhere. "Bloody hell Hermione, do you _ever_ stop thinking about your lessons! There are other things to think about…like Quidditch for example." And with that Ron started talking non stop to anyone within listening distance about the latest game.

It wasn't even five minutes later that everything started happening. The first sign something was amidst was the loud crash from the stairwell and the loud high pitched wail that accompanied it. Hermione shot up in her seat and started staring like her life depended on the next couple minutes.

Only a couple other people had looked up from their plates with the crash but what happened next caught everyone's attention. With a loud bang none other than Percy Weasley burst through the doors. He looked like hell, blood running down his nose and from his forehead. His hair in messy tangles and missing half of his clothes. It was more like he fell through but everything that happened next was such a blur not many could tell you the exact events. None except for Hermione and Draco who were watching with rapt attention. One with glee, the other with confusion quickly turning into shock.

Percy was looking up down and everywhere at once. His face conveying every emotion between ecstatic to horror. He moved about the room languidly, tripping over his own feet several times. By the time he had reached the Hufflepuff table the whole hall had grown silent, the teachers slowly starting to notice something wasn't quite right with the boy. It seemed as if he didn't recognize anyone or anything. That is until he reached the Gryffindor table. First he saw Ron and it looked as if he was about to hug him until he saw who he was sitting across from.

"_You!_ You shouldn't be here! No it's not right! Nonononono!" He flinched away from her as if she had burnt him, even though she had never moved since he entered. He fell clutching his head, practically pulling his hair out of his skull by the chockfull. Hermione just stared, dumbfounded by what was happening. This was not what was supposed to happen! He was supposed to get a little confused, maybe tell people his secrets. He was not supposed to start losing his mind.

Dumbledore by this time had started down on their table, along with Snape and a few others. This was obviously something more serious than a student hangover. Percy saw them in time however and started sprinting like the devil himself was on his heels.

McGonagall had quickly taken action and stood and Dumbledore's place at the podium to direct all the students out the opposite door and back into their dormitories.

As all the students were filing out, Draco tried to hang back to grab Hermione. He needed to talk to her. He wouldn't believe that the potion they had made, that she made, did this to Weasley. He managed to hide in a crevice of the walls as the students file past. He saw Potter first, no doubt Granger would be close by, and he wasn't wrong. When he tried to catch her eye and call her over she just barely shook her head. He would head off to his dorm for now, but hopefully she would meet up with him at the lavatory like they were originally supposed to.

xx

Hermione just numbly followed the crowd out of the Hall. She couldn't comprehend what had just happened. He obviously had a bad reaction…but could that be really all that it was? Harry and Ron were just ahead of her, Ron rambling on about how he always knew Percy would lose it eventually. She saw Draco standing off to the side by the staircases. She wanted so badly to go over there and discuss what happened. He was the only other one that knew of what they had done. Of what she had done. But they couldn't speak here. If Harry or Ron saw them speaking they would have a fit for sure. Hopefully he would still go to the girls lavatory tonight like they had previously planned.

Xx

At that same moment Percy Weasley was running for his life. From what he wasn't entirely sure, but he knew that it was going to hurt him. All he could remember so far that day was finding the chocolate that Penelope gave him. He couldn't believe it! Penelope Clearwater! She finally noticed his attempts to get her to go out with him. It was with that final thought that he ate the whole thing whole and skipped out of the dormitory to indulge in a particularly glorious breakfast. Maybe Penelope would even let him sit next to her?

As he climbed through the portrait that's when things started to go awry. First it was just a mild case of dizziness. But where was he? Oh yes Hogwarts, of course.

He descended the first set of stairs and then it hit again. Who are all these people walking around? Oh right, students of course. But why are they here? Shouldn't they be home for the holidays? Wait no, it was the school term. Right? Of course.

Why was the floor so hard on his feet today? Percy looked down and noticed he forgot his shoes. He couldn't believe himself today. It obviously was from all the excitement of finally getting Penny's attention. Of course.

He didn't notice how long he was staring at his feet until he felt the hard bump on his shoulder of another student rushing past. Before he could even consider it he had the student by the scruff of the neck facing him. He had planned on yelling at him from running but all he could see were red eyes. He dropped the student quickly and made to turn around and back up the stairs but immediately his bare foot caught on the stairs and he fell himself face forward on to the stairs.

He managed to flip himself over with some difficulty but what he saw next was what truly started to haunt him. Blood was dripping through the stone walls. It was bubbling up near the portraits and spilling on to them, ruining the magical people that inhabited them. Percy felt something on his head and reached a hand up to wipe it away. When his hand came back bloody, he realized that blood was now pouring in from the ceiling as well.

Why wasn't anyone else alarmed. He still noticed all the students running down the stairs, in a hurry to who knows where. It didn't matter, all that mattered was that he needed to get out. The over whelming urge that had him paralyzed in place on the ground lifted and was now urging him to run for his life. Even through all of this his prefect duties shown through and he knew he had to warn everyone about what was happening. He grabbed on to the stone banister, which he noticed was now slick with blood, to help down the stairs. Looking down at this hands again he noticed they were completely covered in the red substance and his clothes were quickly becoming soaked in it. Where could it be coming from? That's when he noticed the passing window. All thoughts of saving everyone were driven temporarily out of his mind as he noticed the changed landscape and once again wondered how he was the only alarmed one.

The sky, which at this time of day was usually a nice pinkish blue color was now completely red, dark clouds overtaking the sky by the second with wicked lightning crashing all about. The Great Lake was quickly changing from blue to red just as every other thing seemed to be. But one thing beyond all else disturbed him more than words can say.

While everyone else was minding their business, not noticing a thing, one girl stood outside in the storm. Even from here he could see she was beautiful, long curling hair down her back that kept changing colors most curiously and a perfectly innocent white dress, slowly turning red drop by drop. She was facing the forest with both her arms outstretched, seemingly calling for something. It was obvious to Percy that this girl, beautiful she may be, was the cause of whatever was happening.

He started down the stairs with new purpose. But everything was changing now. Those gargoyles that stood down this hallway never looked that menacing did they? He tried to quickly pass them by but couldn't help but notice that their faces were cheery, the blood dripping out of their mouths, like they had just ate a hearty meal.

He started pulling at his hair as he quickened his steps, needing to get to the headmaster as soon as possible. There was suddenly a tightening around his neck and as he looked down he saw to his horror and snake had replaced his tie. He tried yanking on it and all that resulted in was a trip backwards into the arms of the bloody gargoyle. Screaming at the top of his lungs as the thing looked ready to eat him, he noticed his tie lying on the ground by his now quite torn up feet.

Percy started a full out sprint at that time towards the great hall, it wasn't too much further was it? Oh no did they switch the classrooms again? Wait no of course not. The Hall was where it always is. Of course.

Xx

Snape couldn't believe of all the students to come to breakfast drunk it was Percy Weasley. They were all despicable children, but at least that one had some sort of head on his shoulders. None the less he followed Dumbledore as they raced after the boy up the stairs. Merlin only knows where he thinks he's going but it was only a matter of time before they caught up to him and sorted out all this business. And by business he means lots and lots of detentions. Snape loathed missing breakfast and no one was going to get away with interrupting it.

They finally started to catch up with the boy near the high tower, where that crazy women Trelawney made up her so called 'predictions'. There was no way this could end up good.

He had managed to race ahead of the headmaster shortly before they reached their destination, and stopped short of what he saw. Weasley was standing in the window, in the tallest tower in the school, looking down at the grounds with a mixture of fear and loathing.

He turned around when he heard the groan that escaped Snape as Dumbledore crashed into him. It was then that he could finally explain Percy thought.

"Mr. Weasley, whatever is bothering you we can help, please just come down from there, I promise no harm will come to you." Dumbledore wisely stepped forward to try and pry him down, but the closer he stepped the harder Percy gripped onto the stone and leaned out the window.

"Headmaster! Finally I can show you! Why haven't you evacuated the school yet, its liable to flood if we don't' get all the blood out! Look! Look at it, its already covered me, all the blood, its covering everything!" Percy had let go of the wall and stared at his hands like it was the first time he had ever really noticed them.

"Mr. Weasley, Percy, there is nothing wrong, there is no blood. Son, I am afraid something terrible has happened, we can help you but you must come down from there." Dumbledore had taken that moment to take a couple steps further into the room, he was within grasping distance of the boy now. Slowly but surely the Headmaster reached his hand out to grab the boy and bring him to safety. But what he didn't notice was Percy watching that hand, waiting for the exact right moment to…

"Mr. Weasley! Unhand the Headmaster this instant! What the bloody hell do you think your doing!" Snape had to take charge, it was obvious the kind and gentle approach Dumbledore favored was not helping them and now he was in peril himself. "He has to see! You all need to see! It's all because of her! Don't you see her out there?" Percy had been yanking the Headmaster out the window so he could see the grounds better. No one would believe him unless he showed them the girl, he was sure of it.

"Mr. Weasley there is no one out there, any blood you may see is because of the injuries you have caused to yourself. Now if you unhand the Headmaster and come down from there, I promise we will scourge the school for whatever is causing your troubles." Snape had been slowly edging behind the boy, readying himself for a tackle if need be. Thankfully it seemed he got through to him.

He let go of the Headmaster quickly and pushed him away with a quick movement. Where his expression had been one of panic and fear a minute earlier, it was replaced by a blank slate now. Neither of the professors were sure which one was more disturbing. Just as both of them reached their hands to grasp the boy he pivoted quickly out of their reach. "You don't see. Not yet. But for now this is the only way to stay safe." And with that he gracefully let his body relax and fall backwards.

Xx


	6. Chapter 6

A/N- Hello my dears. I know it may come as a shock since its hasn't been a whole year and I'm already updating. This seems like a little bit like a filler chapter, lots of convos go on, but good stuff does happen! I promise! Oh and to all those that have sent in their suggestions for a pairing they would like to see, thank you and I am considering everything but at this point I really have no idea who she could possibly end up with. This is not a romantic story by any means so even if I do pair her up it won't be the focus. I hope you enjoy! xoxo

* * *

What do you call bad? Those who always want to put to shame.

What do you consider most humane? To spare someone shame.

—Nietzsche

* * *

That evening after all the students had been shuffled to their respected houses, all the students spent their spontaneous time off well. Most were in their common rooms playing Wizard Chess or some other silly game. Everyone but Hermione. She sat alone in her room, curtains drawn around her and her knees pressed hard against her chest. She had been like this since the minute they all entered the tower.

During the whole ordeal it was like her mind shut down completely. She couldn't remember the walk to her room at all, besides Malfoy trying to get her attention. He was the last person in the world she wanted to speak to.

After staring at the ripples in the curtain and how the sun shone through for who knows how long, she finally uncurled herself from her position, making every possible effort to think of anything else but Percy. She went into her luggage and pulled out something she was hesitant to bring with her, but now glad she did. Her baby blanket. Ever since she was a child holding onto it made everything in the world go away for awhile.

While her parents fought about the stupid things parents fight about, she would seize the blanket and pull it over her head, and like magic she was somewhere completely new. A world filled with grassy hills beyond hills and daisies popping up underneath her feet. The wind always blew just enough to make her feel like she was floating. It was her sanctuary in her own mind.

This time however, as she pulled the blanket over her head and put her head under her pillow, the images did not go away. The magic was gone, which was ironic since she was in the most magical place. She just saw him, screaming…screaming at her. No one had ever looked so scared of her, why should they? She had never been a threat to anyone in her life, never even considered it. Until now.

What changed? The only new thing was Hogwarts, and finding out she was a witch. Could this place have changed her? At first her mind denied this, of course Hogwarts didn't change you all that much. Look at Dumbledore, he was the personification o f good and pure.

She started to rock back and forth, trying to shake the memories from her brain. Shake, shake, blood. Shake, shake, screams. Shake, shake, she did this.

She shot up, making her pillow fly to the foot of the bed and her blanket scattered on the floor. Reality had hit her, this was her doing. She made that stupid potion and Percy lost his mind. She had to tell someone, maybe if they knew it was her they could fix him. They might kick her out, expel her from the magical world forever, but having hurt someone on your conscience, especially at such a young age, is a hard burden to bare. With that she jumped out of her bed with new urgency, running down the stairs not caring for anything in the world but clearing her mind.

* * *

Dumbledore sat behind his desk, fingers steeped together and his glasses slowly sliding off the edge of his nose. He would hardly notice if they fell to the floor and broke into a million different pieces. His mind was in a very far away place. A place where no harm ever came to a child, no matter how foul, or how deserving they may seem. He had a mystery on his hands and for once, the old man had no idea how to go about it. He would never divulge this to anyone, but the Weasley's were one of his favorite families. They were a huge family, going back generations, but always happy. There was so much love in that family that he sometimes wished he could make them their own house in Hogwarts and place all the lonely children there. Alas, the world was not such a good place. And bad things happened to children, not just in their world, but the muggle as well.

His reverie was broken when one solid knock startled him. After the events in the tower he had asked Severus and Minerva to meet him in his office after everything had been settled. As much as he dreaded what was coming next, it was a necessary evil.

Severus walked in first, in his customary black ensemble that was wholly Severus Snape. Minerva followed after, looking a bit more confused than he liked. He had hoped Severus would fill her in on the details but from the look on his face, he wanted to deal with this just as much as he.

No words were spoken until both were seated and looking expectantly at him for at least a minute.

"Lemon Drop?" He asked while holding the bowl out in the middle for both to reach out. Normally he only offered to students, to calm their nerves while with him, only offering to teachers when something serious and potentially upsetting has occurred.

"Albus, will you please cut to the chase and inform me of what has happened? The last I saw of both of you, you were chasing down a drunken Per cy Weasley to Merlin knows where and we've had to cancel classes all day." The older witch was near shouting towards the end of her speech and Dumbledore felt for her, it was never easy to be out of the loop, even for a short amount of time.

"I am afraid my dear, that we have a most problematic situation on out hands. Mr. Weasley was not, in fact inebriated. He was cursed from what we can tell so far. Severus did Poppy have anything to say about his condition?" He was hesitant to discuss much until he knew the exactly problem they were facing.

"She did not, in fact she seemed just as baffled as you and I sir. He did hit his head before your spell caught him so that may have something to do with him not waking, but at this point no one is even sure what happened to him in the first place. He had no objects with him except for card, presumably from a Ms. Penelope Clearwater, but no spells were placed on it. If he was in fact cursed, it was from something he ate in my opinion. But at this point it is all guess work." The dark man said all this with an impassive face and not moving an inch, as was his habit.

Dumbledore saw her mouth move to start complaining about lack of knowledge once again but he held up a hand to stop the rant. "I will explain all now my dear. Are you sure you would not care for a lemon drop?" He quickly got on with it as soon as he saw her death glare that made himself want the sweet candy.

"As you see, we ourselves are not completely in the know about what has happened. After you saw us give chase, we followed him into the astronomy tower where he became even more delusional. Talking about seeing some woman outside and how it was the end for us all. Talking about blood and such. It was not pretty Minerva, not pretty at all. Then something most curious happened, it was as if he had given up, decided his fate was forfeit and fell from the window. Luckily I caught him with a spell but still, it was too close a call. Like you heard Severus, he did unfortunately hit his head about one of the statues outside but hopefully Poppy has already fixed that problem. Now we just have to deal with, who would do this, why, and most importantly, _what_ did they do." Dumbledore sagged down quite noticeably after this, the events tiring him more than he liked to admit. He never liked to admit when age was finally catching up to him.

Minerva just sat there, swallowing all the fact for a good while before she could say anything. Nothing like this had happened at their school for quite sometime, nothing this dark. Back in darker days, when darker children walked the halls, yes, things like this sometimes happened. But they were all gone, married, in prison, or dead. Dumbledore loved all his students, but he was happy to be rid of some, not that he would _ever_ voice this out loud.

Severus had, during Dumbledore's retelling, walked to the window that looked out onto the Great Lake. He had been there so there was little use of him listen to it again, but Albus knew better. He knew the potions master was thinking hard in that great brain of his. Thinking about every possibility that could have happened. He, unlike Dumbledore, had no love for any Weasley but he did not like the idea of someone running around cursing his students. If anything it just caused him problems on top of the mountain top of problems he already had.

"Do you have anything to add Severus?" the old man asked, knowing he wouldn't risk interrupting his mentor and was patiently waiting to be called on for his opinion once again.

"I am putting together a panel of tests as we speak to run on Mr. Weasley, or to at least recommend Poppy do it, which ever you prefer. Anything that would cause this sort of reaction. From what we have witnessed, the obvious hallucinations and paranoia, and the things he was trying to convey to us, it seems similar to the 'Drink of Despair' but obviously not one in the same. If I had to take a guess now, I was wonder if this was not a mistake."

"A mistake?" Dumbledore said, instantly interested in this possible turn of events. "I am aware of the Despair potion, though it has not been seen in many years, I agree with your assessment that it is similar. The only glaring difference is his lack of pain, we've all heard of the things that particular potion is supposed to do to the body and mind."

Severus finally turned away from the window and crossed the room back to his colleagues. Once he was settled back into this chair, this time with lemon drop in hand, he continued his theory. " He also struck me as being very confused, not as if he had lost his mind per say, but just as if he was seeing it all differently from us." The potions master instantly had both teachers attention with his speech.

"Could this possibly been a potion or spell gone awry?" Minerva asked quietly. She was desperately hoping for that to be the case. For if there were dark wizards back in Hogwarts, this did not bode well from them at all.

"Unfortunately my dear Minerva, even if this was not the casters obvious intention, it is not good news. For something like this to happen, the intent needs to be specific. Who ever did this, wanted to cause this young man harm, they might not have even known it consciously. Maybe it was supposed to be a prank, but there were dark intentions there, no doubt about that." Severus said in a rarely used kind tone. He was aware how much she loved all her little cubs and the thought of one of them trying to hurt another was unfathomable. Which is why he was loath to bring up his next suggestion in front of her.

"Forgive me for bringing this up, but it is necessary if we intend to truly find out who is behind this. Should we start questioning students, I suggest speaking with Mr. Potter." He knew it was better not to continue that thought until they both let out the anger he knew was on coming.

"Harry Potter! You must be joking Severus! He is only a first year of goodness sake." Minerva was predictably the first one to yell in outrage, the vein in her neck popping out in protest. How he hated that vein, it never meant good things for him in the future if he was the cause of it. She had to protect her cubs.

"I know he isn't your favorite person Severus, but really? Besides the fact like Minerva has said, that he is only eleven, he as struck up quite the friendship with the youngest Weasley boy. Do you really think you would do something to harm the boys family?" The headmaster knew that, yes they should consider every student as a possibility, but this was one that he just couldn't get behind.

"Sir, you know about his past, though it is of no fault of his own, he was been touch with dark magic at a very young age. We are all aware of what such things can do to a child. It taints them forever." He was trying to play devils advocate, he didn't fully believe the young boy could be behind this but it was worth a look.

No one said anything for a good while. Minerva took up Severus's spot at the window, trying to forget the predicament they were in, while the headmaster just sighed and was starting to feel twice his age. He was overcome with the desire to just place his head on the desk and be done with it all. All the dark magic and young people going awry. He didn't want to, but sometimes he felt like he was truly losing hope for the future world.

"As much as I loathe admit it, we must question everyone associated with Percy Weasley, and that includes Mr. Potter. I will deal with the interviews, this will not be treated as an interrogation until absolutely necessary. After all, for all we know he could awaken at any moment and explain everything away." Even the the old man had not the slightest idea how this could just be spirited away from their thoughts. "Minerva, I will task you with gathering the required Gryffindor students, Severus the Slyrtherin, and myself I will gather the Hufflepuffs and Ravenclaws. As soon as I get any new developments on our patient I will let you both know immediately." Without a further word, both the professors stood up to take their leave to find their respectful students.

* * *

Draco had been sitting in his own common room for the past hour. The green glow from the lake glowing through the windows was making everyone look sickly today for some reason, so he had been avoiding looking at anyone too much. Most students were either taking impromptu naps or studying, which was just stupid to Draco. It was a free day off! It is a general rule of life that you do not even look at a book while given a spontaneous day off.

He was playing Snap cards with Goyle but his mind was somewhere else completely. Somewhere north of him with a bushy haired girl. It was the last thing he wanted to think about but it seemed inevitable now days. His mind always seemed to be on her, wondering what she was doing, what she was thinking about in that weird brain of hers. Now he found himself worrying about her, which he hated more than he liked to admit.

He realized what had happened and he wondered if she did as well. It was her potion. She might not have wanted this outcome, but he saw the look in her eyes and the way she spoke of the ginger freak. The girl had some anger in her that he didn't think she was quite ready to confront. What she had to be angry about he had no idea. Yes, Weasley had been a complete git, but the result of that potion suggested something greater than that.

Draco found himself wondering if something more had happened than what she had finally confided to him. Girls were so weird sometimes. They couldn't just come out and say what was on their mind, they had to go and bottle it all up and then make people go crazy. That's what his father said anyway.

He had a bad feeling, that if Granger did figure out what happened, she was going to crack. And there was no way that she wouldn't say his name when she was babbling out a confession he was sure. He needed to find her and make sure she kept quiet, for both their sakes. The only question was how, the whole school was on lock down in their common rooms and he was sure it would be pretty difficult to get all the way to the top of the tower unnoticed but he had to try anyway.

* * *

Andromeda Tonks was doing her usual cleaning for the day, washing dishes and putting the clothes out to dry. There seemed to be more than the usual amount of late, but she knew it was because of her daughter visiting so it didn't matter that she was cleaning easily four times more dishes than usual. It was worth it to have her Dora home.

Her husband nor her daughter were the cleanliest of sorts so it was left up to her to make sure they weren't living in some sort of pig sty.

She sometimes wished she and Ted had more children, if not for the fact that Nymphadora could have had some other children to play with when she was younger but so maybe their home wouldn't quite be so empty yet.

It was such a double edge sword she thought. Having siblings. They could be your best friends for life. Or your worst enemies. She had wondered up to the attic in her search for stray clothes and in her inner ramblings found herself in front of an old trunk she hadn't thought about in at least 20 years. Not even knowing why she kept it, but for some reason she just couldn't even fathom the idea of getting rid of them.

A small token, but just a reminder of the happy life she had once upon a time. She slowly knelt to the ground, dust instantly covering her calves and feet. She was mesmerized but what lied inside the trunk. Slowly, as if it could all crumble under her finger tips if she she applied too much pressure, she undid the locks and lifted the lid.

Inside lay four boxes, all filled with pictures and little mementos from her youth. She stared at them in amazement, as if she wasn't sure they had been quite real, if her past had been quite real. The first boxes lid easily slid off into the darker parts of the chest. The witch couldn't help the smile that spread across her face as she saw a picture of herself with Narcissa, playing what looked like hide and seek. They both looked so happy and ignorant. Better times. She hesitantly reached for a handful of photographs but there was something in between the stack that was making the pictures bulge in the middle, causing a quite unflattering look on some of them.

Curiously she pried apart the old and dried pictures apart and felt a thump against her knee. But before she could investigate the odd object she stared in part horror part joy in the picture the object had been stuck to, in what appeared to be an old spell.

It was a picture of all four of them. All sitting in front of a tree with arms interlinked. They all had face splitting grins and were giggling non stop. It was as if time had frozen. Andromeda had no idea how long she had sat there, staring until she remember something had been magicked on to it. She dropped the photos back into the trunk as if they were on fire, slamming the lid shut with force that made all the dust around scatter into the corners of the attic.

Looking down the the floor in front of her she saw a necklace. It was a small thing. But it was something given to each other them on the day of their birth. Each of theirs had been different, and were supposed to stay with them for life. Andromeda had burned hers years ago in a fit of rage.

This one was a small 'A' on top of a black bloodstone. Around it was metal workings almost like a small clockwork creating beautiful swirling patterns around the edge of the stone.

Andromeda clasped it in her hand, almost breaking skin, trying to rid herself of the memories that had threaten to take her over completely. That was why all this was locked away, she reminded herself. So the grief of her lost family couldn't bare down on her everyday. Even though she had pushed away the trunk full of memories, unable to handle that, she slowly unclasped the necklace, raising it up to where the sun reflected off the stone, creating an interesting patter throughout the wooden walls. Before she could contemplate it further, she quickly reclapsed the necklace around her own neck. It wasn't just a reminder of the one sister who used to own it, but of all, of those happy summer days she would always cherish.

* * *

Somehow Malfoy hadn't run into anyone so far on his journey to a tower he wished he would never have to go near. But this was about saving his own skin, and he'd do just about anything to do that. He was walking down the corridor as fast as he dared to. Before every corner to always made sure to take a peek first, even though the teachers seemed to have their hands full with whatever they were dealing with, Filch or his blood cat were always skulking around somewhere and it wouldn't be good to be caught by him of all people. If nothing else just because he smelled horrid.

Just as he was about to turn on to the corridor that held the Headmasters office, he unfortunately had to pass it to get to his destination, he was taking his usual peek around when he caught a flash of bushy hair.

'I knew it!' the blonde fumed to himself. She was going to crack, and far soon than he had hoped. Fast as lightening he ran down the corridor, without stopping grabbing her by the arm and shoving them both in an unused class room down the hall.

"Wha-get off of me!" Hermione had been taken off guard for a split second before she started trying to get out of the surprisingly strong grasp on her arm. She couldn't see who had grabbed her until she was unceremoniously shoved into a classroom. "Draco what the bloody hell do you think your doing? You can't just yank people around like that!" the young witch protested as she tried to straighten out her clothes. Draco wasn't even listening as he was trying to perform and silencing charm to no luck.

"Oh move over, I'll do it." She spat before she shoved him aside and quickly preformed the required spell. If he was going to all this trouble to talk to her it was obviously about one thing and it did not need to be over heard.

Draco couldn't do anything but stare at the girl, she was acting strangely normal for being about to confess their misdeeds."Well…I…I had to stop you. You were about to tell the headmaster what we had done weren't you?" Draco had adopted his usual stance of arms crossed and nose in the air to try and give himself some superiority over the situation.

"I was about to tell him what I did. You didn't make that potion. This is my fault." Hermione glumly stated before shrinking down ad falling onto one of the chairs. "I didn't mean for this to happen, not like that. I just wanted him to make a fool of himself. He tried to do that to me, I just wanted to be even. But whatever happened in there, that wasn't the potion I made." She gave Draco a glance out the side of her eye, not quite wanting to completely face him. She was ashamed to even look Draco Malfoy in the eye.

Draco was at a loss of what to do. His nature dictated that he could not, and would not comfort her. She was a mudblood for Merlin's sake! But she just looked so sad and broken down. He would never ever tell her or anyone living this, but he had grown a small begrudging liking for her during their researching and scheming.

"Listen Herm- Granger. You don't even know for sure your potion was the cause. Some one could very well have hexed him on his way to the Hall. But telling Dumbledore isn't going to help at all. What will that accomplish besides getting us both expelled. And I would figure that would mean a great deal more to you than me, seeing as you would be stuck back in Muggle world." Draco gave a shudder at the last bit.

"Either way, I don't see what we did as wrong, he hurt you, and he should suffer for that. It's the way of the world Granger, get used to it."

"Of course you don't see it as wrong Malfoy! Your in Slyrtherin, all you lot like to do is make up new ways to torture everyone else in the world." Hermione snarled at him, too preoccupied with her troubles to see he was attempting to be nice for once in his life.

"Fine mudblood. Have it your way, going running to Dumbledore and bleed your dirty little heart out about all the horrible misdeeds you have done." Draco started yelling, glad she had put the charm on the room. "But leave my name out of it, or I promise you, it will be the worst thing you could have ever done." Draco was an inch away from her face, spit flying from his mouth in his anger before he stormed out of the room, no longer caring if Filch or the Bloody Baron himself caught him out.

Hermione had just sat there, taking his words in. The last words he had left her with just bounced off her mind, not soaking them in. He had been right in one thing. She did not want to go back to her parents world. It was no longer her own. This was where she belonged, forever.

And really, Percy did deserve it. She couldn't deny that while she was making the potion she had been wishing she was capable enough to make something better, more efficient.

She would wait. She didn't know the ultimate outcome of things anyway. He could be perfectly fine after all. If something more serious happened. Well she would deal with it then. Hermione exited the room with a significant more pep in her step than before. Everything seemed better suddenly. She felt good about the days events and future ones.

It was only as she got back into the common room, steps away from Harry and Ron, that things changed just as quickly as they had gotten better.

McGonagall strode into the room with purpose, stopping and taking in the activities of all the students before she cleared her throat as a sign to pay attention.

"Students, Students, if you would please allow me to interrupt you afternoon I need to speak with you all about something. As many of you are aware, your house mate Percy Weasley was the victim of some sort of hex and the Headmaster has decided the best course of action is to ask students that were in contact with him the most to please allow us to ask you some questions so we may be able to get to the bottom of all this." She was quite and somber throughout her entire speech, and turned to the Weasley twins and Ron first, assuming that they would be the first to jump up and tell all about their older brother. When none stepped forward, she glanced around the room and realized no one was moving at all.

"Don't any of you have anything to say about the boy? Who he hung out with, what he did in his spare time…any enemies…anything?" McGonagall had started to get quite upset at this point. Why was no one in the boys own house coming forward to help.

"Professor, Percy kind of kept to himself. He never hung out in the common room or anything." Fred Weasley had finally stepped forward, he looked glum and like he wished to be anywhere but there.

"Yeah, he didn't really get along with anyone, in any of the houses that I know about. All the git would talk about was his prefect duties. Or he was always reading. I don't even know if he had any friends." George stepped up next to his brother, knowing he was obviously needing the support.

The older professor huffed and threw her arms up in the air before she took her glasses off and pinched the bridge of her nose. If any of them had been hoping for a easy resolution to this whole debacle, that hope was just tossed out the window. "I see. Well in any case Dumbledore would still like to speak to a lot of you. We must get to the bottom of this." Before she could start calling off names, Ron stood up this time, obviously terrified to speaking to the Transfiguration professor but his curiosity taking over.

"Is Percy okay now though? He looked a right bit sick at breakfast and he hasn't been back up here all day." Ron was shuffling his feet by the end, trying to hide the fact that he did in fact care what happened to his stuffy brother.

McGonagall took on a kinder tone for the younger boy, he was worried about his brother, she couldn't hold that against him. "Your brother is currently under Madam Pomfrey's care. We do not currently know what is ailing him, but hope to find out soon, now if you please I will need you and your brothers to come with me. The rest of you, I will be back down shortly to gather a few more of you." With that she swept all three boys out of the room before they could even glance back.

Everyone else started up with whatever they had been doing the second she was out of site, Harry switching Chess partners with Dean. Hermione raced up to her room as fast as her feet would carry her. Oh how she hoped they wouldn't call her to the Headmasters office. She might be willing to not turn her self in willing, but she wasn't sure if she could lie straight to their faces and get away with it.

* * *

The young man that had been taking up a majority of people thoughts that day currently lay still as a stone in the Hospital Wing under the great care of Madam Pomfrey. She had been doing every test she could think of to determine what had happened to the boy to no avail. Severus had sent up and parchment of tests he recommended, and while the Potions master and Matron butted heads most days she was quick to take him up on the help today.

Severus Snape was smart man, and tended to look at places others had looked over, always catching little details that would mean nothing to anyone else. She was just moving her want over the boy, getting his current scans when his eyes snapped open. She didn't even notice for a good minute until she was about to check how his head was doing. She let out a startled cry and dropped her wand which landed onto his chest before rolling off to the side.

"Mr. Weasley! Thank goodness you've awoken, we were beginning to worry." Not to mention they had been worrying since the minute he was brought in. Percy didn't say a word, just silently staring back up at the Matron like she wasn't even there. His eyes were practically bulging out of his skull but he didn't seem bothered by it. In fact it seemed that even though he had opened his eyes, he was still asleep.

The Matron touched his head, checking for fever and finding it cold and clammy, while five minutes previously he had been dry as a bone. " I am going to call the Headmaster, now don't you worry I shall be right back, he is very worried about you." The old witch kindly patted his shoulder, trying to give him some kind of comfort.

When she got to her fireplace in her office she realized she had forgotten to pick back up her wand. In her excitement for the boy waking up she must have left it where ever it had fallen near the bed. As soon as Pomfrey walked back into the main room she knew something was wrong. She had specifically said absolutely no one was allowed in here at the moment but in front of her the door was slightly swinging.

She rushed over the Percy's bed and for the second time in less than five minutes she clutched her chest in bewilderment. The boy was gone, blankets haphazardly thrown to the floor. She took a quick peek under the bed and realized that yes, her wand was gone as well.


End file.
